MARYVILLE, Tenn. — One in 10 children will be abused before they're 18 years old, but there's help available for them at New Hope Blount County Children's Advocacy Center in Maryville.
Ashley Fontenot will take over as the non-profit's CEO on May 13 and said the staggering number of kids who need help is what called her into this line of work.
"Last year alone we served 765 children and that's in Blount alone," Fontenot said. "So for me, the calling is that's not something I even knew was an issue, the fact that there are children in the community who have to deal with that. I can't even imagine and I want to make sure we have every resource we could give them, that's the least we could possibly do."
Fontenot has been with New Hope for the past two-and-a-half years and will be replacing current CEO Tabitha Damron, who's pursuing other ventures.
"I could not be more humbled and I know I have big shoes to fill," she said. "Tabitha was so graceful and wonderful."
Before coming to New Hope, Fontenot traveled across the country, opening Chick-fil-A stores.
"This is extremely fulfilling work," she said of her career with New Hope.
Before being selected as CEO, she worked in marketing, events and development for the non-profit. New Hope focuses on helping kids who've been through abuse.
"We are a children's advocacy center, the only one in Blount County and we provide all the services needed to children who experience abuse in Blount, both physical and sexual," Fontenot said. "Before the children's advocacy center model, a child would have to describe the details (of the abuse) to up to 15 different groups of people."
Fontenot said she will be focusing her efforts on fundraising for the center, especially as some grant funding has been reduced over the past few years. The Heroes for Hope 5K will be held on April 27 at the Maryville Greenbelt Amphitheater.
"That's always a fun one, and this will be our fifth year running," she said.
A new event this year, the Feast For Hope, is being held on Aug. 10 in honor of late New Hope supporter Brian Tuggle.
"His friends came to us and they wanted to do an event," she said.
Fontenot said she's looking forward to serving as the non-profit's CEO.
"I am extremely grateful for both our board of directors and our staff, who believes in me and supports me in this role," she said. "And our community, who we could not do this without their support and encouragement."